Residing where I do I am flooded with Chiefs coverage. They have pretty much owned this region with the Rams briefly making a dent when they were putting on their greatest show on turf act. But now that Stan Kroenke has relocated the Rams back to LA, frankly as I stated he would some time ago, the Chiefs are the solo act for the state. Year in and year out the Chiefs field good, solid winning football teams. And year after year they come up short in their quest for a super bowl appearance. I know this eats at owner Clark Hunt who would love nothing more than to get the team his dad founded back into the big game his dad started and named, the super bow. Truth to told that name came from Hunt's daughter. The Chiefs have some of the most loyal fans in the league. Attending a game at Arrowhead is to me just a very small tick below Lambeau. Kansas City is known for BBQ and the parking lot prior to a Chiefs game offers up a smell unmatched anywhere.
Okay, what do I expect from this latest edition of Kansas City Chiefs football? Frankly much of the same. Which is not actually a bad thing. But I do not see them breaking the super bowl drought. I like Alex Smith. An above average QB, solid guy and leader, The draw back to Smith is his inability to stretch the field. Many fans complain loudly about his unwillingness to go deep but there is a major difference between want to, and can do. Smith does not have the arm to make certain throws and he knows it, more importantly the defense knows it too. That is the only shortcoming the guy has. He is mobile and makes good decisions. With that being said, he is not getting any younger and his arm is not getting any stronger, it is as they say, what it is. Thus GM John Dorsey did something the Chiefs just do not typically do. They went out and drafted a college QB highly in their draft. They wanted a gun slinger with the big arm that Andy Reid could develop. Enter Patrick Mahomes who the team took with the 10th selection overall. I like the pick, and I think Reid is a good coach to help bring the kid along. It is an ideal spot because they can groom him behind Smith and let him develop naturally without throwing him to the wolves as many teams do with young QB's. Sometimes that works out and sometimes it can be a disaster. Perfect example being Jared Goff with the Rams last year. Just leave it to the Rams to screw up a good thing. That kid was like a deer in the headlights much of the year.
The Chiefs did lose nose tackle Dontari Poe to free agency but I don't think that is as big a loss a many might. Poe had a habit of taking too many plays off or at least gearing it down substantially. The one thing that had a lot of fans moaning was Jamaal Charles departing for the Denver. Man, that was salt in the wound for most Chiefs fans. Any team other than Denver or Oakland. I could relate to them having lived through the experience of watching Brett Favre take the field at Lambeau in a Vikings uniform. Another stiff reminder that this is a cold hearted business when you cut right to it. I do like this Chiefs defense, a lot. Very active, athletic and fast. The strong point with this Chiefs defensive unit is without any question the linebackers. Tamba Hali, Dee Ford and Justin Houston are nasty. Hopefully they can keep Houston healthy. When he is feeling it and hitting on all cylinders health wise he is as good as any in the league.
A weak point with this team continues to be, in my humble view, the wide outs. That is a head scratcher for me considering this is an Andy Reid team and we all know how much Reid loves to wing it. Many were stunned when they let Jeremy Maclin go. Maclin was a legit deep threat and a guy who could make the big play. But from what I hear it was a strictly financial decision. They like the looks of some younger guys and looked at the price tag Maclin was carrying and made a bottom line business decision. It did not help his cause that Maclin was having a tough time staying on the field. He has been injury prone in his career and he is not getting any younger either. When a wide out starts to slide the descent can be pretty rapid. I wish him well in Baltimore. He is a truly good guy and true professional. Tyreek Hill is electric on special teams but as for being a regular, every down wide out I am not sold yet. Conley and Wilson have huge upsides but this unit seems a little thin to me for a team with the aspirations this Chiefs team has. NO problem exists at tight end where Travis Kelce is rapidly becoming one of the best in the league. I personally think he could be a better blocker but the kid does have a knack for getting open and he rarely drops a catchable ball and makes some catches in traffic most would not come down with. Plus he is as competitive and fiery out there as any player in the league, on either side of the ball. They hit the jackpot with Kelce.
One thing that is truly special about the Kansas City Chiefs is the special teams. Dave Toub is the highest paid special teams coach in the league and he is well worth every dime of it. The Chiefs special teams rarely make mistakes and often make game changing plays. The coverage squads are generally like a pack of angry jackals. The place kicking is handled adeptly by Cairo Santos and the punting by Dustin Colquitt. A young man from my home town of Moberly Missouri was invited as a non drafted free agent into the Chiefs camp and got a close up view of Toub and how he coaches up his special team units. Trey said it was a sight to behold. Toub is one of the best coaches in the league most folks have never heard of.
When it comes right down to it I see this as a very good Chiefs football team. But not good enough to be considered a serious player for the super bowl. I hope I am wrong. I do not see any really blatant weaknesses but there is nothing other than the special teams that really jumps out at me either. I personally think Oakland will be the team to beat but it is so close the Chiefs could easily get it done again. In all candor it will likely come down to who survives with the least major injury issues to contend with. The Chiefs got a brutal draw to open the season. They open on the road in prime time against the defending champion Patriots. Not much needs to be said or added to that.
Okay, there it is. Just some personal thoughts and observations from yours truly as we draw a little closer every day to camps opening. I will continue to spotlight teams as we get closer to the kick offs. I know many of you are ready for some football. I know I am.
Thanks and good luck this week with your action guys.